The invention relates to a mechanized device for aiding a person in walking.
A very common means of support and locomotion for persons having an injured leg is the crutch. Traditionally a crutch comprises an elongated, generally T-shaped structure which provides the user with a body support and a hand support, the body support being in the form of a short piece which fits in the armpit of the user.
This crutch arrangement has several disadvantages. It supports the body in a sensitive area adjacent to the armpit, requires the exertion of a substantial force on the hand supports during locomotion and also requires the user to hold his injured leg off the ground. Depending on the nature of the leg injury, and the strength and agility of the user, such a crutch may be quite uncomfortable or may even be a totally impractical means of support and locomotion.
Some attempts to resolve these problems have been attempted. A crutch having a knee support which supports the injured leg off the ground is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,213,870 (Kiehn, 1965). A crutch having a torso support is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,378,486 (Jones, 1944).
However, all of the prior devices discussed above require the exertion of considerable muscle power through hand supports in order to simultaneously support the body and provide forward hopping on the uninjured leg. There is therefore a need for a crutch which both supports the user in an upright position with the uninjured leg resting on the ground and substantially reduces the muscle power required for locomotion. Such a crutch should also support the body in a comfortable manner.